Director of Conservation, Nature United at Nature in Canada

Director of Conservation, Nature United Location: Remote, Canada Nature United is a national organization that is reimagining conservation across Canada. We believe that nature—thriving and full of life—is the foundation of strong communities, a prosperous economy, and a future worth passing on to our grandchildren. We believe that reconciliation is at the heart of our progress as a nation. And we believe that Canada can be a global beacon for hope. We work to advance sustainable resource management by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority and to harness the power of nature to address the climate crisis by advancing natural climate solutions. Nature United is an affiliate of the global organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC). As a conservation organization, we support the authority of Indigenous peoples to steward and manage their lands and waters by working in partnership with Indigenous Nations to strengthen governance, build on-the-ground stewardship capacity, support leaders, and catalyze local economies. The Director of Conservation oversees all aspects of Nature United’s Conservation Program, reporting to the Executive Director, and is a key member of the Leadership Team. This role is pivotal in leading and developing a dedicated team to achieve ambitious conservation goals, and fostering cross-functional relationships that advance meaningful, inclusive conservation initiatives. This role is responsible for managing the Canadian conservation project portfolio, which spans across large and complex geographies and regions. They will lead and support a team of program leaders that are reimagining conservation through innovative approaches and partnerships to drive systems level impact. They will define conservation priorities in Canada aligned to global priorities and deliver on organizational goals. They will play a supporting role in communicating about our work and fundraising for our programs to internal and external audiences. Key responsibilities include: Strategic Leadership and Planning: Leads the design and implementation of conservation initiatives to deliver on organizational goals. Provides overall strategic direction for the conservation team, and supports conservation programs in planning and strategy design for systems level impact. Partners with other team leaders on integrating conservation strategy with broader organizational strategies and external trends and drivers to deliver greater impact. Plays a lead role on the executive Leadership Team. Team Management and Development: Leads and manages a large, diverse, and dispersed multi-disciplinary team across Canada. Builds and motivates teams to deliver ambitious outcomes by setting clear direction, fostering an inclusive, learning and adaptive management culture, and building strong integration across programs. Builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity, disseminates best practices, and provides coaching and mentoring to develop and grow people. Direct communicator with proven ability to lean in to challenging conversations and apply accountability practices. Champions Collaboration: Builds strong relationships across teams and champions cross-team collaboration and resource sharing. Builds partnerships within The Nature Conservancy, leveraging shared resources and best practices to deliver greater impact in Canada, and to build models that can be scaled globally. Acts as a thought leader in conservation, developing innovative strategies and frameworks. Partners with other teams, including Strategic Partnerships, to integrate policy, markets and innovative financing into systems level strategy design. Business Management: Oversees budgeting and financial management of the Conservation program. Assesses and manages risks, ensuring compliance with organizational policies. Oversees complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals. Develops and manages holistic programs, incorporating cross-disciplinary knowledge. Inspires Others to Support our Work: Engages and influences key stakeholders to support conservation efforts, including supporting fundraising efforts. Positions Nature United as an organization that is reimagining conservation in Canada and globally. Translates complex strategies and concepts into clear and compelling narratives for internal and external audiences, including board, donors and partners. This role is remote and can be based in any Canadian province or territory. It also requires the ability to travel across Canada and internationally, approximately 30% of the time, and to work flexible hours as required. A background check will be performed on the successful candidate. We’re Looking for You: Are you looking for work you can believe in? Nature United is a workplace where we care about each other and know that what we do matters, and that our work makes a difference. We currently have a vacancy for Director of Conservation. We are seeking a dynamic, values-based and visionary leader who is passionate about conservation. The ideal candidate will inspire and lead a multidisciplinary team, drive strategic initiatives, and build strong strategies and relationships to achieve transformational conservation impact. This leader will drive results to achieve Nature United’s 2030 Strategic Plan. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by supporting the work of our team. Join us as we impact conservation across Canada and more than 80 countries and territories around the world. What You’ll Bring: Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience in conservation practice or related field, including public, private and non-profit sectors or equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong understanding of Indigenous right relations in Canada. Highly skilled and experienced people manager, including setting objectives and managing performance, particularly with senior leaders who are accustomed to operating independently. Experience in working effectively in a matrixed organization, fostering cross-team collaboration and building strong working relationships with other teams. Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple strategies, synthesizing disparate strategies and integrating into a coherent whole. Proven ability to inspire and motivate through written and verbal communication, internally and externally. Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions. Experience working with methods and standards of biodiversity, climate and/or sustainability. Flexibility, reliability, and a positive, solutions-oriented attitude. Desired, Additional Qualifications: Multilingual and multicultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated. Experience working with Indigenous communities, governments, forestry, agricultural sectors and/or resource sectors, and non-profit organizations. Understanding of Canadian political and economic context. Experience with fundraising, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation. Commitment to continuous learning and staying informed about conservation trends and initiatives. Salary Information: The estimated pay range for a candidate selected for this position isgenerally withinthe range of 192,000 – 205,000CAD for annual base salary. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is Canada. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate’s location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment. Who We Are: Nature United’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube   to hear stories from staff or visit  Glassdoor. One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.” What We Bring: Nature United offers a comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here. We’re proud to offer a work environment that is supportive of the health, well-being, and flexibility needs of the people we employ! Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. Employees must submit their application by logging into Workday and applying via the Jobs Hub.